INTRODUCTION:
Across the 2oth Century, it was gradually realised that one secret to
the success of an army in the field is that it needed a high proportion
and adequate numbers (reckoning with casualty rates . . . ) of seasoned,
well trained, skilled, brave and able non-commissioned officers [NCO's -- corporals, sergeants, and Warrant Officers
etc] of good character; who could work with, supervise and train
ordinary soldiers and help season young officers, as well as practically
solve the myriad un-anticipated challenges of combat in the trenches.

This is not really a new insight: the Roman Centurion
was more or less a super-NCO, typically a long-service soldier from the
ranks picked for his skill, example and character-- one reason why
Centurions in the New Testament are so uniformly men of good report --
and made into a sort of warrant officer. (There was a class barrier to
merit-based promotion above that level, which probably contributed to
Rome's eventual decline.)

In
the 21st Century, the church in the Caribbean needs a solid core of
spiritual NCO's and Centurions, to face the challenges we must address
on the ground in the region, and as we mobilise to take up our strategic
role in the church's global mission.

For
instance, we are now in the age of Google, YouTube, blogs and other
freely accessible web soap-box and forum technologies, Dan Brown and his
The Da Vinci Code, the vituperative New Atheists, Radical IslamISTS,
and many others.

As
a result, we now face a flood of superficially persuasive and
atmosphere-poisoning materials that target God, the Scriptures, Jesus,
the Christian Faith and Christians today (including personal hate and
slander sites) and much more. This backs up an unprecedented and rising
tidal wave of direct and undermining attacks against the Christian faith
in the Caribbean and elsewhere that we can find on our streets, on our
verandahs, on our TV's and computers, in our schools and offices, and
even in our churches.

A
flood of attacks that finds us too often in a sad spiritual condition,
and by and large utterly unprepared to soundly answer on the reason for the hope that we have:

This
is a sobering picture, and itself justifies a desperate need for this
course and a wider programme of studies -- in the first instance, at Associate Degree level (NB: the A.X is the new "sweet-spot" for education and training at first tertiary level, leading to the outcome that "Graduates at this level have broad knowledge and skills for highly skilled paraprofessional work . . . ") -- to equip God's people more adequately and broadly for works of service in and from our region, in our time.

But, there is another side to the story: our largely unrecognised and untapped potential for the work of the Great Commission across the world in our day.

For, if we were to make a "back to Jerusalem" vision calculation, we have the potential to field something like 8,000 missionaries -- that's about the scope of a Roman army Legion, or a modern "light" Division -- across especially the 10/40 window (cf here
also) from West Africa to India, China and Indonesia, from which so
many of our ancestors came. In saying that, we should reckon that
Paul's history-transforming C1 missionary company, in aggregate,
probably was less than 80 - 120 or so, roughly the scale of the
"Century" commanded by a Centurion. (And yes, for convenience, I am
taking in the size of the older Maniple, 120.]It is worth laying out a typical current large scale military organisation (NB: to be viewed in its wider context),
an early C21 infantry brigade combat team [roughly equivalent to 1/3 of
a Division], as a model for thinking about organising our own efforts,
noting how diverse complex units are integrated to form a functional
whole. Do forgive compression, you can expand by clicking on the image
and using various view or save facilities of your browser:

A more traditional ~15,000 man division structure as used in the Second World War (US 85th Division, US Army) is:

(NB:
Such models show us how proved globe spanning organisations that
require diverse highly technical units and staff backed up by
significant logistical "tails" have been organised and have operated
over the past century. Salvation Army notwithstanding, the Christian
church is not a military organisation!)

That
is, on the above considerations, we can credibly deploy and support 80
or so Pauline company-scale "units," where each such can target a region
or a large country. That compares favourably with the scope of the
10/40 window.

Where also -- especially if this is focused on education, training, the arts, multimedia and artistic crafts, enterprise formation and business incubation
-- such a deployment could potentially have a dramatically
transformative, positive impact on these nations, across all dimensions
of their societies and economies (and not just the narrowly
"spiritual"):

Similarly,
significant numbers will also be needed to help address the challenges
in the North, as Western Civilisation continues to disintegrate through
the impact of its de-christianising, radically secularist,
hyper-skeptical and/or neo-pagan apostasy. Putting these together, we can see the "three triangles" regional and global missions strategy emerge, as:

i: Christians from the region's

(2) Afro-Caribbean and

(1) Asio-Caribbean

. . . triangles

ii: mobilise and equip themselves for

iii: the ongoing mission of the church through the gospel and the Spirit in the region, and

iv: from the region, in

(3) the global triangle pivoting on the three vertices,

(a) the 10/40 window

(b) Europe

(c) North America:

This is a vast undertaking.

So,
while the traditional campus based seminary remains important, it is
patent that such a massive work simply cannot be effectively tackled
solely through the traditional campus based seminary that aims to
produce full time church workers, primarily pastors.

At
the same time, we need people equipped, trained and seasoned to handle
the De-christianising and Islamisation spiritual tidal wave challenges
and surges that are now upon us, from the North and the East as well as
to respond to the longstanding regional spiritual challenges. Plainly,
we need a corps of paraprofessional church workers, equipped to
Associate Degree level and able to handle street level challenges.

Such seasoned, practical leaders, however, will also need to be "tent-makers" (cf also here and here),
men and women who have their own professional career, which can support
them at home or abroad as they fulfill their calling of service and
good works under God.

And, yes, every child of God is called to -- and should be properly equipped for and supported in -- effective Christian service:

Eph
2:8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 it is not from works, so that no
one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, having been created in
Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do
them . . . .

Eph
4:10 He, the very one who descended, is also the one who ascended above
all the heavens, in order to fill all things. 11 It was he who gave
some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as
pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry,
that is, to build up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the
unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God – a mature
person, attaining to the measure of Christ’s full stature. 14 So we are
no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried
about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily
carry out their deceitful schemes. 15 But practicing the truth in love,
we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head. 16 From him
the whole body grows, fitted and held together through every supporting
ligament. As each one does its part, the body grows in love. [NET]

There
is no way that such leaders in the reasonably required numbers can be
trained through conventional, campus-based theological programmes.

However,
the Internet and wider digital media revolution offers the opportunity
to create online and digital multimedia training resources, that can be
integrated with churches, theological schools and other ministries
across the region to form a regional training network.

Also,
such "distance mode" education and training can fit in with other
studies, work, family, church and community responsibilities. This
course is therefore intended to serve as a part of that network, with a
particular focus on biblically- based theological grounding in the face
of the sort of challenges and issues that we will increasingly encounter
on the street in our region or across the world.

Here
is a model for an Associate Degree programme in Arts with a
Concentration in Caribbean Christian Service and a tent-making
productive skills component for a digital age, in which the initial
exploratory rough draft course explored in this blog as a "show and
tell" demonstration would be (in developed form) a key component of
pillar no 2 of five:

Such would be backed up by a process of life integration and mentoring, such as:

It
would also need "backative" through the intellectual muscle and
education leadership capability of a core of people going through a
course of study such as this outline M.Ed:

Where, this could illustrate a possible cost effective delivery platform
for use by students studying in the community and in community-based
micro-campus centres (e.g. based in churches), a two-in-one modern 10+"
tablet-cum-notebook PC:

Before
going on to the main substance of this course, it now seems helpful to
first pause and look at some further matters introductory, motivational
and resource-ful.

Systematic Theology: what, why, how . . .

Theology can usefully and simply (but roughly) be defined as: the Scripture-guided, organised, reasoned study of God and the things of God.

Where, we are counselled by Our Lord, and by the prophets and the apostles:

The Psalmist, Psalm 1:1 How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked,or stand in the pathway with sinners,or sit in the assembly of scoffers!

2 Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands;he meditates on his commands day and night.

3 He is like a tree planted by flowing streams;it yields its fruit at the proper time,and its leaves never fall off.He succeeds in everything he attempts.

4 Not so with the wicked!

Instead they are like wind-driven chaff.

5 For this reason the wicked cannot withstand judgment,nor can sinners join the assembly of the godly.6 Certainly the Lord guards the way of the godly,but the way of the wicked ends in destruction. [NET]

The Psalmist, Psalm 119:9 How can a young man keep his way pure?By guarding it according to your word.10 With my whole heart I seek you;let me not wander from your commandments!11 I have stored up your word in my heart,that I might not sin against you. . . .

97 Oh how I love your law!It is my meditation all the day.98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,for it is ever with me.99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,for your testimonies are my meditation.100 I understand more than the aged,[h]for I keep your precepts.101 I hold back my feet from every evil way,in order to keep your word.102 I do not turn aside from your rules,for you have taught me.

103 How sweet are your words to my taste,sweeter than honey to my mouth!104 Through your precepts I get understanding;therefore I hate every false way.

105 Your word is a lamp to my feetand a light to my path.[ESV]

Solomon, Prov. 3: 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and do not lean on your own understanding.6 In all your ways acknowledge him,and he will make straight your paths.7 Be not wise in your own eyes;fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.8 It will be healing to your flesh[b]and refreshment[c] to your bones.

Isaiah, Is. 8:16 Bind up the testimony; seal the teaching[f] among my disciples.

17 I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.19 And
when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who
chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they
inquire of the dead on behalf of the living?

20 To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.

Jesus, Matt 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”

4 But he answered, “It is written,

“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Jesus, Jn 10: 35b . . . and Scripture cannot be broken . . .

Paul, Rom 10:6 But
the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who
will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down)7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);9 because,
if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your
heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”12 For
there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is
Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?[c] And how are they to hear without someone preaching?15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Paul, 2 Tim 2:8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel,9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!10 Therefore
I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may
obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.11 The saying is trustworthy, for:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;if we deny him, he also will deny us;13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

for he cannot deny himself.

14 Remind them of these things, and charge them before God[b] not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,[c] a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,17 and their talk will spread like gangrene . . . .

2 Tim 3:10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,11 my
persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium,
and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord
rescued me.

12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom[a] you learned it15 and how from
childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are
able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

16 All
Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for
reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,17 that the man of God[b] may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Peter, 2 Pet 1:15 Moreover,
I will diligently endeavor [to see to it] that [even] after my
departure (decease) you may be able at all times to call these things to
mind.

16 For
we were not following cleverly devised stories when we made known to
you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), but we
were eyewitnesses of His majesty (grandeur, authority of sovereign
power). 17 For
when He was invested with honor and glory from God the Father and a
voice was borne to Him by the [splendid] Majestic Glory [in the bright
cloud that overshadowed Him, saying], This is My beloved Son in Whom I
am well pleased and delight, 18 We [actually] heard this voice borne out of heaven, for we were together with Him on the holy mountain.

19 And
we have the prophetic word [made] firmer still. You will do well to pay
close attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dismal (squalid and
dark) place, until the day breaks through [the gloom] and the Morning
Star rises ([j]comes into being) in your hearts.

20 [Yet] first [you must] understand this, that no prophecy of Scripture is [a matter] of any personal or private or special interpretation (loosening, solving).

21 For
no prophecy ever originated because some man willed it [to do so—it
never came by human impulse], but men spoke from God who were borne
along (moved and impelled) by the Holy Spirit. [AMP]

A
sobering counsel to be borne in heart and mind in a day inclined to
scoff at, mock, skeptically deride and dismiss the Scriptures.

Where, again, we must underscore:

the
authentic scriptures of the Old and New Testament, which prepare us
for, present and call us to discipleship under the gospel, are the
foundation of sound Christian theology and so also they are the
foundation of sound discipleship and of faithful, truly effective and
lastingly fruitful service.

Systematic Theology, in that light, is that
part of sound Christian theology which takes what we can learn about
God from the Bible and arranges it in a useful, logical, Gospel-based framework. So, Systematic Theology (when it is correctly done) helps us to better understand, witness to, faithfully serve and live by the gospel.

Charles
Hodge, in the opening chapters of Volume I of his justly famed classic
from the 1870's, the three-volume, Reformed tradition Systematic Theology,
expands this (in part reflecting the dominance of scientific approaches
in the modern mind). He does so in a way that is well worth clipping
and reflecting on:

CH 1: In
every science there are two factors:
facts and ideas; or, facts and the mind. Science is more than
knowledge. Knowledge
is the persuasion of what is true on adequate evidence. But the
facts of astronomy,
chemistry, or history do not constitute the science of those
departments of knowledge.
Nor does the mere orderly arrangement of facts amount to science .
. . . The Bible is no more a system of theology, than nature is a
system
of chemistry or of mechanics. We find in nature the facts which
the chemist or the
mechanical philosopher has to examine, and from them to ascertain
the laws by which
they are determined. So the Bible contains the truths which the
theologian has to
collect, authenticate, arrange, and exhibit in their internal
relation to each other.
This constitutes the difference between biblical and systematic
theology. The office
of the former is to ascertain and state
2the facts of Scripture. The office of the latter is to take those facts,
determine their relation to each other and to other cognate truths, as well as to
vindicate them and show their harmony and consistency. This is not an easy task,
or one of slight importance . . . .

CH 2: Every science has its own method, determined by its peculiar nature.
This is a matter of so much importance that it has been erected into a distinct
department. Modern literature abounds in works on Methodology, i.e., on the
science of method. They are designed to determine the principles which should control
scientific investigations. If a man adopts a false method, he is like one who takes
a wrong road which will never lead him to his destination. The two great comprehensive
methods are the à priori and the à posteriori. The one argues from
cause to effect, the other from effect to cause . . . Every
one knows how much it cost to establish the method of induction on a firm basis,
and to secure a general recognition of its authority. According to this method,
we begin with collecting well-established facts, and from them infer the general
laws which determine their occurrence . . . . CH 5: . . . The man of science comes to the study of nature with certain
assumptions. (1.) He assumes the trustworthiness of his sense perceptions. Unless
he can rely upon the well-authenticated testimony of his senses, he is deprived
of all means of prosecuting his investigations. The facts of nature reveal themselves
to our faculties of sense, and can be known in no other way. (2.) He must also assume
the trustworthiness of his mental operations. He must take for granted that he can
perceive, compare, combine, remember, and infer; and that he can safely rely upon
these mental faculties in their legitimate exercise. (3.) He must also rely on the
certainty of those truths which are not learned from experience, but which are given
in the constitution of our nature. That every effect must have a cause; that the
same cause under like circumstances, will produce like effects; that a cause is
not a mere uniform antecedent, but that which contains within itself the reason
why the effect occurs.

Second, The student of nature having this ground on which to stand,
and these tools wherewith to work, proceeds to perceive, gather, and combine his
facts. These he does not pretend to manufacture, nor presume to modify. He must
take them as they are. He is only careful to be sure that they are real, and that
he has them all, or, at least all that are necessary to justify any inference which
he may draw from them, or any theory which he may build upon them.

10Third, From facts thus ascertained and classified, he deduces
the laws by which they are determined . . . .

The Bible is to the theologian what nature is to the man of science.
It is his store-house of facts; and his method of ascertaining what the Bible teaches,
is the same as that which the natural philosopher adopts to ascertain what nature
teaches. In the first place, he comes to his task with all the assumptions above
mentioned. He must assume the validity of those laws of belief which God has impressed
upon our nature. In these laws are included some which have no direct application
to the natural sciences. Such, for example, as the essential distinction between
right and wrong; that nothing contrary to virtue can be enjoined by God; that it
cannot be right to do evil that good may come; that sin deserves punishment, and
other similar first truths, which God has implanted in the constitution of all moral
beings, and which no objective revelation can possibly contradict. These first principles,
however, are not to be arbitrarily assumed. No man has a right to lay down his own
opinions, however firmly held, and call them “first truths of reason,” and make
them the source or test of Christian doctrines. Nothing can rightfully be included
under the category of first truths, or laws of belief, which cannot stand the tests
of universality and necessity, to which many add self-evidence.
11But self-evidence is included in universality and necessity, in so
far, that nothing which is not self-evident can be universally believed, and what
is self-evident forces itself on the mind of every intelligent creature . . . .

In the second place, the duty of the Christian theologian is to
ascertain, collect, and combine all the facts which God has revealed concerning
himself and our relation to Him. These facts are all in the Bible . . .
It may be admitted that the truths which the theologian has to reduce to a science,
or, to speak more humbly, which he has to arrange and harmonize, are revealed partly
in the external works of God, partly in the constitution of our nature, and partly
in the religious experience of believers; yet lest we should err in our inferences
from the works of God, we have a clearer revelation of all that nature reveals,
in his word; and lest we should misinterpret our own consciousness and the laws
of our nature, everything that can be legitimately learned from that source will
be found recognized and authenticated in the Scriptures; and lest we should attribute
to the teaching of the Spirit the operations of our own natural affections, we find
in the Bible the norm and standard of all genuine religious experience. The Scriptures
teach not only the truth, but what are the effects of the truth on the heart and
conscience, when applied with saving power by the Holy Ghost . . . .

[I]n
theology as in natural science, principles
are derived from facts, and not impressed upon them. The
properties of matter, the
laws of motion, of magnetism, of light. etc., are not framed by
the mind. They are
not laws of thought. They are deductions from facts . . . It is no
less unscientific for the theologian to assume a theory
as to the nature of virtue, of sin, of liberty, of moral
obligation, and then explain
the facts of Scripture in accordance with his theories. His only
proper course is
to derive his theory of virtue, of sin, of liberty, of obligation,
from the facts
of the Bible. He should remember that his business is not to set
forth his system
of truth (that is of no account), but to ascertain and exhibit
what is God’s system,
which is a matter of the greatest moment. If he cannot believe
what the facts of
the Bible assume to be true, let him say so. Let the sacred
writers have their doctrine,
while he has his own.

Of course, coming on 150 years later, we have a broader appreciation of induction as arguments
in which evidence summarised in premises is held to substantially
support the likelihood of the truth of a conclusion, sometimes to moral
certainty, sometimes to a lesser degree. Moral certainty, more or less, being a
degree of credibility such that one would be irresponsible to disregard
the conclusion and the cumulative force of its support and act as if it
could be brushed aside as unsupported opinion or dismissed as if it
were false, to one's convenience.

Likewise,
we have the benefit of the subsequent thought of philosophers and
historians of science across the last 100 years, who counsel us on how
paradigms and research programmes emerge, then contend as schools of
thought and so also on how revolutions happen in science. So, we must
ever bear in mind that a given school of thought -- as Solomon warned
about human kingdoms -- is not established unto all generations.

Science,
in short, is a human venture subject to our finitude, fallibility,
error . . . and, yes, ill-will, too. It is thus a venture of reasonable
faith, shaped at any given time by our worldviews.

But
that is not at all to imply that facts cannot be credible, or that
principles are to be dismissed to our convenience, only, that we should
humbly accept that error exists so we walk by faith not by sight, and
must be humble enough to be open to well-warranted correction.

In theology, as well as in science.

Accordingly, in an age that tends to radical relativism, Paul Helm's July 2006 reply to post-/ultra- modern trends in systematic theology as they critique Hodge bears reflecting on too:

Hodge's
advocacy of an 'inductive' method in theology is said to embody all the
wrong things. He is accused of being a 'foundationalist',
'positivistic', 'empiricist' and 'individualistic'. These traits are
said to reveal him as expressing the mentality of the Enlightenment,
'the assumption of modernity', in his pursuit of objectivity, a
mentality perhaps fostered by the influence upon him of one of the most
notable figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Thomas Reid, and perhaps
by the dreaded 'Reformed Scholasticism'. By implication, in our
postmodern era Hodge's theological method is to be avoided like the
plague. Another nail in the coffin of Princeton theology . . . .

No
doubt it is tautologically true that Hodge was a child of his time, and
no doubt he could have benefited from the philosophy of science of
children of later times, which claims that scientific theories are
falsifiable hypotheses, not inductive generalizations from the data. No
doubt Hodge's account of scientific procedure is naively Baconian. No
doubt he would have learned things about the philosophy of science from
Karl Popper, or N. R. Hanson, or Imre Lakatos, or even (heaven forbid!)
from Thomas Kuhn. But this is not, I think, the main point. The main
point of Hodge's inductivism is to endorse a method which gives
Scripture theological priority, allowing it to address us rather we
addressing it. Any method which ensured this would be equally valid . . .
.

Summarizing, two things. The first is to underline the point
that in setting out his views Hodge is prescribing a set of ideals, not
describing what actually goes on. And it is obvious, in reading his
words, dated in certain respects as they must be, that his overriding
concern is to preserve and protect the a posteriori character of
theology in its relation to Scripture, by being resolutely a posteriori
in his construction of Christian doctrine or principle or theory. This
is the point of the stress on induction.

On
balance, the substance of the scriptures as authenticated by the Christ
event in the context of fulfilled prophecy -- cf. Unit 1 here on
-- make it plain that God has chosen to set truth in the context of the
facts of a credible historical timeline that shows God's power through
prophetic interventions of the announced word and their fulfillment.

This
anchors faith to facts that must be assessed in historical, contextual,
grammatical and even social and cultural settings. So, a generally
inductive approach is required. At the same time, systematic logically
shaped organisation is an imperative, if we are to have a coherent
rather than a confused overall understanding.

This
gives us goals, principles and a valid role for systematic theology,
and indeed for various traditions and schools of thought.

Thus, too, we see four main characteristics of good -- sound -- systematic theology:

1:
A focus on the gospel, in the context of its warrant as God's good news
that saves us if we properly respond -- through penitent trust in God
based on his Word and character -- to his grace in Christ.

2: Rootedness in the Christian and Hebrew Scriptures that accurately and authentically transmit and apply that good news to us.

3: Coherent, logical, intelligible organisation so that

4: we may be exact, accurate, economical and understandable (perhaps, after some diligent effort to follow what is being said).

For, as Paul pointed out in 1 Cor 15:3, the gospel is that which is "of first importance" in Christian thought, life and service.

1-->
Jesus of Nazareth -- The Only Begotten (Unique) Son of God --
fulfilling the Old Testament [OT] prophecies about God's Anointed One
[i.e. the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek)], came to us in love; as Prophet, Priest, Lamb, and King.

2 --> Fulfilling the OT Scriptures, he died for our sins, was buried, and rose again as Lord and triumphant Saviour.

3 --> He commissioned the church to bear witness of this good news [= gospel] to the world and to call the peoples of all nations to:

4 --> This, until he comes again as Lord and Judge to complete history and break the power of evil forever.

Systematic
Theology therefore guides us as we lay out a framework of gospel-based
spiritual anchor-points and guidelines on the ground where we are. This
helps us to properly and effectively arrange the foundations of our commitment of discipleship. Sucha sound foundation then guides us as we work to builda fruitful Christian life as we serve God in our communities and the wider world:

It also helps us when we have to explain ourselves to or correct
those who have latched on to misunderstandings and accusations that
make the gospel sound like nonsense or even something to fight against.
However, this also requires that we have to try to avoid being overly
complicated or -- worse -- quarrelsome.

Josh McDowell gives a good example, also addressing the issues of evidence that grounds the Christian faith, at a basic level:

Then,
we will seek to arrange the findings from that study in a clear and
consistent pattern that will provide a sound framework for commitment,
life and service.

It
will therefore first and foremost, highlight the core gospel in the 55
AD testimony recorded in 1 Cor 15:1 - 11 (and traceable to the apostles
in Jerusalem, c. 35 - 38 AD).

It will also bring out the background for the gospel: Bible-based, Creation anchored covenantal, prophetic theism
(to be explained during the course) -- as taught in the Old Testament
[OT], but also as further drawn out in the New Testament [NT].

This
earlier council is quite important. For, it is in that council that in
response to issues and concerns, the apostles and eyewitnesses to Jesus'
death, burial and resurrection had clarified the nature of the gospel.
to do that, they made it plain that what was required for Jews and
Gentiles alike to become Christian disciples and be saved was penitent
faith in God through Jesus the crucified and risen Lord. (NB: Cf. Ac 15:7 - 9.)

Q: But, why the long gap?

A:
The period from 64 - 325 AD was the era of waves of persecutions that
started when the Emperor Nero found it convenient to blame Christians
for a major fire in Rome, and also of the gradual but unstoppable growth
of the church in the face of the rise of heresies such as Gnosticism and (later) Arianism. [It is sad that as the empire became partly Christianised, forming Christendom, debates over theology took on a divisive, oppressive political overtone: "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal . . ." Again, the apostle is plain: "we
do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God . . . by
setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s
conscience in the sight of God." (2 Cor 4:2.)]

Why should we use the Nicene creed?

The
Nicene creed is an historic confession of our faith, and one that is
being unjustifiably attacked as subverting the "real" original
Christianity, e.g. at popular -- "street" -- level in Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code.
At a little more sophisticated, level, the unfortunate poisonous links
between theological debates and political instability across C4 and
beyond, meant that -- in an era where the concept of personal freedom
was but poorly understood -- disputes on theological matters were too
often enmeshed in state politics of the Roman Empire (especially in the
East).

So,
for instance, we have to recognise that from the 320's - 380's, the
Imperial family and court were often implicated in supporting one side
or the other of theological disputes, based on personal convictions and
their sense of what the Empire needed to enhance its stability.

For
example, it seems Constantine I -- who exiled then recalled Arius after
the first version of the creed was issued in 325 -- was baptised on his
deathbed by an Arian Bishop. In 336, Arius,
aged about 80 (having been recalled from exile and restored to apparent
Imperial favour), died in a context of a sudden and massive GI tract
disturbance right after dining at the Imperial table in Constantinople,
that led some to infer divine judgement, and others, poison; no, he was not sentenced as a heretic and executed after the Nicene Council.
If he was indeed poisoned in 336, a decade after the Council, it may
have been by someone with access to the kitchens; it is unlikely that
the Emperor would have secretly ordered his death, given the personal
sympathies that seem to have been revealed on his deathbed by the
circumstances of his baptism. (Arius was exiled, then recalled -- it
seems, within a few months -- when the balance of views and factions
shifted. From some reports, it had been made a capital offence to
possess his writings; one presumes, while he was temporarily in exile.)

Then,
after Constantine passed away, Constantine II was apparently an Arian,
Julian the Apostate tried to revive paganism, and Theodosius I then
closed off a half century of disputes by calling the council that
extended the Nicene Creed in 381 and -- most regrettably -- used state
power against dissidents.

Across this time, disputants on one side or the other could find themselves exiled, as both Arius and Athanasius
were, at one time or another, indeed Athanasius seems to have suffered
five exiles amounting to seventeen years in about forty years as Bishop
of Alexandria; at the hands of four Emperors. (It is noteworthy, that
the orthodox view of the Nicene Creed was at one time so out of general
favour in the East, that Athanasius, its champion, became part of a
byword: Athanasius contra mundum -- Athanasius against the world.
His case prevailed by its inherent force on the theological merits, not
because it was the reigning popular orthodoxy.)

Thus,
the context in which the Nicene Creed was developed was not at all
ideal, to say the least. We wish that a more enlightened view of
theological disputes could have been had, but we must also reckon with
the historical stage of development of political thought c 300 AD. And,
we must face history as we have it, not as we wish it were; in an era
where the ideas and practice of democratic self-government of a free
people, were well over a thousand years in the future.

But
-- taking due and sobering note of the errors and wrongs of the era
(and the wider problem of the sins of Christendom across the ages that
will be addressed in due course in more details in Unit 9 below) -- in fact, the Nicene Creed is demonstrably objectively rooted in the First Century testimony and faith of the apostles, and in the New Testament, which is equally authentic.

So,
it gives us a reasonable start-point framework for studying
understanding the historic consensus view on the core principles and
tenets of the Christian Faith.

Its structure is based on summarising the gospel from 1 Cor 15:1 - 11, having first set it in the context of God our Creator and Lord, and the Son discussed in Heb 1:1 - 14 and Phil 2:5 - 11 (cf. Isa 43:9 - 13 & 45:18 - 23 )
who came as Saviour. It then goes on to the empowering pouring out of
the Spirit, the commitment of discipleship and the work of the church,
concluding with the culmination of all things.

In the classic English rendering of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, 1662, it reads:

I believe in one God the Father Almighty,

Maker of heaven and earth,

And of all things visible and invisible:

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God,

Begotten of his Father before all worlds,

God of God, Light of Light,

Very God of very God,

Begotten, not made,

Being of one substance with the Father,

By whom all things were made;

Who for us men, and for our salvation came down from heaven,

And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary,

And was made man,

And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.

He suffered and was buried,

And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures,

And ascended into heaven,

And sitteth on the right hand of the Father.

And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead:

Whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost,

The Lord and giver of life,

Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son,

Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified,

Who spake by the Prophets.

And I believe one Catholick and Apostolick Church.

I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins.

And I look for the Resurrection of the dead,

And the life of the world to come.

Amen.

(NB: A point by point tabulation of the Creed and comparison with Scripture is here. It will be readily seen that the Nicene Creed is deeply, thoroughly biblical.)

Accordingly,
this course will begin from the gospel and its historic warrant, then
address worldview level issues, to clear the underbrush. Then, God, Man,
Jesus, The Gospel and its application, the Spirit, discipleship and
reformation, the Church and its challenges, and the culmination of all
things will be the backbone of the course.

The
list of references below will therefore provide background reading and
resources that will help draw out these themes, and will give key
resources for writing assignments, for dealing with challenges, for
addressing issues likely to be met "on the street," and for deepening
the understanding built up through the course's main presentation to
follow.

The
main emphasis will be placed on classic, web-accessible sources, and a
few remarks will be made on the sources, to guide the user.

Online Free Bibles and reference library resources

The Holy Bible (for excellentreason)
is the primary source and authoritative reference for Christian
theology. As such, Bibles and materials to support serious study are
foundational to any serious theological course of study.

In
the current era, the digital technology revolution has transformed our
access to such resources, and has also triggered a movement that has
created a wealth of free materials, hosted online or free- for-
download. Therefore, open source online materials will be the main focus
for discussing Bible resources for this course. (NB: If you need Greek
and Hebrew True Type fonts, SBL Greek and Hebrew
are freely available for academic, educational and related
non-commercial uses; kindly consult terms of use if you have any doubts.
Word processing support software is also available from SBL.)

The
following two software packages are probably the best supported
free-for-download Bible study and reference resources packages.

Of
the two, The Word has a more user-friendly, flexible interface, and the
main sites give auto-install support packages. Either of the two
packages will take care of basic Bibles (with a parallel version,
translations and original language texts, with interlinear references,
dictionary and translation features), classic dictionaries, commentaries
and encyclopedias, and also as a library of classic reference
resources:

The Word:
Costas Stergiou has created a powerful and flexible Bible Library
package, which sets the standard that will have to be matched. A
particularly attractive feature is that the base package is "ready to
go" with a useful cluster of initial resources and a simple link from
the Help menu to get more.

e-Sword:
Rick Meyers started the ball rolling in this field, and with version 9
has moved away from dependence on Microsoft Access Database. There are
probably more resources available, and there are several user-generated
tools for creating resources. The interface is distinctly less flexible.
However one specific advantage is that this package will work with
books in the standardised Parsons Technology STEP Library format.

A useful baseline "free classics" set-up for either (or, better, both) of these packages would be:

Ante-Nicene Church FathersSchaff's History of the Christian ChurchSchaff's Creeds of Christendom (eS)Hodge's Systematic Theology, 3 vols.

CIA World Factbook (eSword Graphics package)

(I also strongly recommend Calibre,
a free for download ebook reader and library management package, which
can be configured as well to read PDF files, not just EPUB, LIT etc. If
you use Firefox browser, there is an EPUB reader extension.)

The NET Bible (and other versions)

NET Bible:
This is a new, open source Bible Translation [largely coming out of
Dallas Theological Seminary], which can be cited or used by anyone with
no restrictions on number of verses. (Recent developments in copyright
and broader intellectual property law and associated treaties mean that
even the KJV is probably technically under in-perpetuity UK Crown
Copyright.)

The NET Bible, without its 60,000 translator notes is available for both the above packages (eS, TW) on a free for download basis, but you may also download a stand-alone HTML version here, which has the full set of notes. (Wikipedia has some helpful remarks here, and a somewhat critical review that gives some context is here.)

[NB, 1:
As with older versions, no single modern English translation is wholly
satisfactory (though many are sound, God-honoured and useful), so it is
recommended that the reader makes use of original language tools and
checks renderings in versions with different translation philosophies. So, we may note:

a: The NET, Good News, ESV and ASV (American Standard Version, 1901)
are a good cross-section of modern translations that are freely
available in eS and TW; the latter two being more closely word- for-
word literal, and the former pair being more or less based on dynamic/
functional thought- for- thought equivalents. (Current debates
on how much "gender-inclusive language" is textually warranted aptly
illustrate the issue. This debate is especially relevant to the question
of the recent TNIV independent revision to the NIV. [NB: The "original"
NIV will remain available as a modern classic translation.])

b: Of course, the NIV (I recommend the "classic" 1978 or 1984 edns.) is
only legally accessible as a paid-for module, or can be accessed through
sites like Bible Gateway.
(If you go there, I am fond of the NASB -- a revision of the ASV -- and
the Amplified Bible too. Please, avoid bootleg pirated modules.)

c: For classic English translations the King James Version (in the
common, 1769 revision or the original 1611 rendering) and the Geneva
Bible are a good point of departure; also, the Geneva Bible notes are a
useful commentary for understanding Reformation era Calvinist
theological thought.

d: The KJV is especially useful as classical Bible Study tools are keyed
off it and -- just as important -- off the associated Strong's
numbering system for underlying Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic/Chaldee words.

e: Those dealing with Catholic issues may wish to use the Douai-Rheims
and make reference to Jerome's even more classic Vulgate (Latin).

j: The NIV Study Bible, the Life Application Bible, the classic
Thompson's Chain Reference Bible, and the classic Schofield Reference
Bible are all very useful, well-respected paper version Study Bibles for
serious Bible students.

k: The New Bible Dictionary is hard to beat as a one-volume Bible Dictionary with evangelical views.]

The classic creeds are in effect the first major systematisations
of Christian theology. They were forged in the fires of responding to
persecutions, criticisms, intellectual attacks and classical heresies.

(Schaff's
The Creeds of Christendom [4 vols] is a useful first point of contact
for reference or for research-level study. [Links to CCEL pages here. Also available in eS (but not yet TW).] It is surprisingly readable.)

Creeds have continued to be issued by various Christian bodies, from time to time, often in response to challenges of the day.

At a far simpler level, in the Caribbean IFES student movement in the 1980's, it was found necessary to re-emphasise
an interdenominational, Bible-based evangelical confession of faith and
to lay out principles of Bible study, in significant part, in response
to challenges from sectarian groups. (NB: Here
is a suggested framework of principles for working together as
Christians in and from the Caribbean, in congregations and in
missions-minded ministry teams or networks.)

The introductory session for the course,
on where systematic theology fits into the facets of theology, is
especially useful. For just one example, let us note how that lecture
breaks down of the major topics in systematic theology, briefly defining
some major terms we are likely to meet when we look at reference
resources -- and let us add convenient links to Carson's PDF lecture
notes:

( Herrick's notes and Cheung's summary will be helpful also. You may find it also helpful to look at: (a) Stanley Derickson - Mr. D’s Notes On Theology( eS, TW) and (b) William Evans - Great Doctrines of The Bible (eS, TW).)

The above are useful at a "101" introductory level, the general target level for this course.

Sometimes, though, we will need to call up heavy artillery support.

When
that happens, it is wise to first turn to classic works of Systematic
Theology for use as points of reference. This is especially so since
over the past 200 or so years -- and painful though it is to have to put
it so bluntly -- there has beena great apostasy in theology. For instance, it is not that
uncommon to meet top flight professional theologians who are what used
to be called "skeptics," or even full-bore agnostics or atheists. (Cf.
Eta Linneman's remarks in the just linked, as a theologian who used to
be like that.) So, classic materials from before that apostasy took an
increasingly big bite out of professional theology over the past 100 -
150 years will be especially valuable for Bible-believing students.

The following will therefore be helpful beginning-points for "heavy artillery" research:

Some classics of Systematic Theology

It is useful to classify these based on major movements of the church across time, and to also note the list of such works by movements at Theology Gateway:

Classic Catholic: Aquinas' Summa Theologica (though incomplete due to the death of the Angelic Doctor) is a classic, massive reference. (CCEL PDF, 4,630 pp. 17.66 MB) Origin's De Principiis
would be its remote (and in some ways imperfect) ancestor. At less
remove (but not a structured systematisation), so is Augustine's magnum opus, City of God. His Enchiridion -- Handbook of Faith, Hope and Love, c. 420, is a short, simple systematic survey written for an inquirer.

[NB, 2: Protestant theology draws on the same deep roots in the NT, the wider Bible and patristic thought,
but holds that across time various traditions and teachings began to
obscure or even undercut core gospel truth. Accordingly, the key
Protestant and Evangelical heart-cry is to go back to the roots and
correct the problems that have arisen, restoring the core New Testament
faith. (Cf. this pivotal incident in the history of Israel.)]

Orthodox/Catholic: John of Damascus, in his De Fide Orthodoxa,
bridges the Eastern, Orthodox and Western, Roman ways of thinking on
systematic theology. It is also noteworthy that this work was written
under the shadow of Islam, by a man who came from a Syrian, Christian
Arab family and who served as a chief administrator to the Muslim caliph
of Damascus (in the days when the bulk of the population under Islamic
rule in the Middle East was still Christian).

Foundational Calvinist:Calvin's Institutes (PDF here) are a must-read, to understand the theological force that shaped so much of Europe's modern history. Calvin (even after all the controversies and concerns that can be raised) must be given his due. He was both a noted exegete
-- his work decisively shaped the technical theological science of
drawing out from the Scriptures in their original language, their
meaning and application -- and a pivotal systematiser of Christian
thought. (Arminius' works and the Remonstrances
to the Synod of Dort written by his followers shortly after his death
should be read as giving a foundational view of the other main
protestant perspective that emerged.)

Reformed: Hodge's Systematic Theology (3 vols. plus index vol.), accessible through CCEL here
with onward links for Vols. I, II and III is a classic in the
Calvinist tradition, distilled through centuries of onward thought.
(This is also available for eSWORD, through the eSWORD users group. Gutenberg has the volumes: Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3.)
This is a widely recognised summation of the line of Reformed thought
that stemmed from Calvin, Knox and many others, which is still often
used in Seminaries at least as a reference resource. (Oosterzee's The Theology of the New Testament, from the same general time, gives an early example of the contrasting Biblical Theology. Cf remarks here on one way to distinguish biblical, systematic, dogmatic and historical theology. What we may describe as "thematic theology,"" the "theology of X" where X = ethics, politics, culture, work, recreation, etc., is also significant.)

[NB, 4:Grudem's Systematic Theology
-- one would have to purchase separately or access through a library
-- is a current major evangelical work, by a Pentecostal-rooted
theologian (who is Calvinist).]

Baptist/Dispensationalist: Two classics: (1) Gill's Complete Body of Practical and Doctrinal Divinity, and (2) Augustus Strong's Systematic Theology. Two current possibilities (HT: Dr Dave Thomason) are: (a) Stanley Derickson - Mr. D’s Notes On Theology( eS, TW) and (b) William Evans - Great Doctrines of The Bible (eS, TW)
Methodist/Arminian: Adam Clarke's Christian Theology is one of the
first major Methodist Systematic Theology works; compiled from his
writings, after his death. Project Gutenberg has a free 1835 text online
here with several formats available for download. Also see Miley's Systematic theology in two vols: Volume 1, Volume 2 , and Terry's Biblical Dogmatics.
(Methodism and the derivative holiness movement provide the theological
and historical roots for Pentecostalism, and much of the Charismatic
movement.)

Finney: Finney's Systematic Theology (PDF, eS, TW) is often insightful, but is widely viewed as marred by some somewhat unorthodox [cf. CCEL Note]
peculiarities in Finney's thought and teaching. Finney's ministry and
its legacy have shaped much of the revivalist stream of evangelical
Christianity, in North America and globally.

Charismatic/ Pentecostal: John Williams has written Renewal Theology (1996), accessible online through Google Books, here.
This is a work by a Presbyterian Charsmatic, comparable to Grudem's
work. Kevin J. Conner's, 'The Foundations of Christian Doctrine'
(Amazon, here)
has been recommended to me as "[an] easy to read, wonderfully outlined
and laid out, atlas size book . . . a very good basic work."

It
will of course be helpful to supplement such classics with current
sources accessible through a good library, and/or the study resources in
online Bible Study sites, or even the preview pages at Google Books.
When all else fails, online bookstores will facilitate purchase of key
works by using a credit card.

However,
a caution: in serious systematic theology, given the length of time the
matters have been thought about, studied, tested in life and debated,
what is sound is generally of longstanding character, and most novelties
(whether popular or academic) are not sound.

What
is novel that is helpful is a certain broadening of perspectives, and a
willingness to hear fresh insights from other sources.

REMARKS:
These resources will be the assumed background for the work in the
units to follow, so it will be helpful to go through the resources.
After that download at least one of the two free e-Bible packages, and a
good collection of reference materials to go with it. The Word will be
the easier of the two to download resources for, and is the more
flexible. Also, book-mark the online references in your browser, as
these will be very handy links.

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About Me

A Caribbean-based applied scientist, educator and strategic change/ transformation advocate and facilitator; speaking out for record and calling to reformation in light of the patently destructive policy/ geostrategic/ propaganda/ spiritual/ moral- cultural and economic agenda tidal waves pounding on our shores with ever-mounting force. In response to which, we must learn the lesson of Ps 32:9: "Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle . . . "